


Sky Full Of Song

by pogopop



Series: Hold Me Now [1]
Category: Daredevil (Comics), Daredevil (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-19
Updated: 2018-08-19
Packaged: 2019-06-29 20:40:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15736956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pogopop/pseuds/pogopop
Summary: “What’s the occasion?” Peter asked“I, uh, well. I’ve got a date.” Aunt May spread her hands and shrugged, smiling apologetically.“A date? Oh wow, that’s great. Who is he?”“Well. He’s.” She gave a small laugh and bit her bottom lip. “It’s a blind date. Julia knows him and she thought we might get on. So here we are.” She shrugged again. “You don’t mind, do you?”Peter and Matt hang out together on the Brooklyn Bridge. Then Aunt May starts dating Matt, and Peter is confused.





	Sky Full Of Song

**Author's Note:**

  * For [enthusiasmgirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/enthusiasmgirl/gifts).



> This takes place in some nebulous time where Spider-Man has the Stark suit, and has recently started teaming up with Daredevil but they haven't revealed their identities. I've pulled some details from the comics, but this is MCU!Matt. Aunt May is blissfully unaware of anyone's double life. 
> 
> Inspired by a prompt from EnthusiasmGirl.

Daredevil was sitting on top of the Brooklyn Bridge, looking out to sea when Peter swung up and squatted down beside him. “Seen anything interesting tonight, Double D?”

 

“Evening, Spidey. How are things out East?”

 

“I've got everyone in line. All the old ladies of Queens are safe.”

 

“Mmmmm.” Daredevil hummed, face tilted slightly skywards. “Finished your homework?”

 

“I. What?” Peter spluttered. “Why would Spider- _Man_ have homework?”

 

“Because you're still in school. Please tell me you haven't dropped out.” DD turned to face Peter. The molded red eyes of his mask were impossible to read, but his mouth was stern. Peter had no idea how the guy could see anything. Or why he was interested in Peter's education.

 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Peter muttered.

 

“Yes you do. It doesn't matter if you're young, as long as you're keeping your life on track.”

 

“Why wouldn't my life be on track?”

 

Daredevil sighed, rolled his shoulders and returned to his oceanic contemplation. “This… thing we do. It can take over your life. Believe me, I know. But it’s no foundation, you need more. My old man always used to make me do my homework every night, even when I was tired, and I’ll always be thankful for that.”

 

“He still tuck you in at night?”

 

“He died when I was ten.”

 

Well, shit. That wasn’t unfamiliar. Peter swallowed. “You know, every study that’s looked at homework has found that it doesn’t improve student performance?”

 

“Spoken like someone trying to get out of doing his homework.”

 

“What are you, Professor Daredevil?”

 

At that, Daredevil gave a genuine, deep laugh. Peter wondered how long it would be before his voice could make a sound like that. “No, that’s not really my scene. But I do believe in education. It’s something that no one can take away from you. And you can call me Matt.”

 

“Matt? You aren’t expecting me to take my mask off next, are you?”

 

“No, no unmasking. Your face doesn’t matter to me. I just think, if we’re going to keep meeting like this and working together, that it’s nice to have something a bit more normal to call each other.”

 

“Uh, okay. I guess you can call me Peter.”

 

Daredevil - Matt - suddenly looked sharply towards the city, his head tilted over to his right shoulder. “Gotta go.”

 

“Why? You remembered something urgent?”

 

“I can hear trouble. My city needs me. Later, Peter.”

 

\---

 

When Peter walked into the apartment after school a few days later Aunt May was standing in front of the hall mirror, pinning her hair high on her head. She was wearing a pretty dress and makeup.

 

“You look nice.” She really did.

 

“Oh, thank you, Peter,” she replied, slightly flustered.

 

“What’s the occasion?” Peter asked as he crossed the lounge to put his backpack inside his bedroom door.

 

“I, uh, well. I’ve got a date.” She spread her hands and shrugged, smiling apologetically.

 

“A date? Oh wow, that’s great. Who is he?”

 

“Well. He’s.” She gave a small laugh and bit her bottom lip. “It’s a blind date. Julia knows him and she thought we might get on. So here we are.” She shrugged again. “You don’t mind, do you?”

 

“What? Me? No, of course not.” He gave her a quick hug. “You go and have a great time. Tell me about it tomorrow?”

 

\---

 

“What’s with the whole ‘I hear danger’ thing?”

 

Peter was swinging upside down from the suspension cable, looking at Matt who was kicking his feet over the edge of the tower.

 

“I hear a lot, that’s all,” Matt grunted.

 

“Well, yeah. It’s a noisy city.”

 

“I can hear a lot more than you.”

 

Peter shot out some web, which hit the stone a foot below Matt’s boots, and swung across to the opposite cable. “You sure about that, old man?”

 

“Yeah, I’m sure.”

 

“You got super vision, too?”

 

Matt barked a laugh. “Super vision is not something to which I can lay claim,” he said, shaking his head. “So what’s new with you?”

 

“Oh man.” Peter decided to start spinning himself a hammock angled between one of the vertical cables and the tower. It was a nice evening and it seemed like Matt wanted to chat. “I’ve been doing my homework, like you told me to. Ned and I built the Death Star out of Lego. It took forever. He did a whole lot of work on it but then he dropped it and had to start all over again. Next we're going to do the Imperial Star Destroyer.” Peter stopped. That was the fun stuff, but it wasn't what had been distracting him.

 

“I get the impression that there’s something more on your mind than Lego.”

 

“You got super mind reading powers as well?”

 

Matt huffed, but didn’t reply, so Peter took that as his cue to continue. “My aunt - I live with her - she’s been seeing this guy for a couple of weeks.” He sent out a line of web three feet to the side of the one already below Matt’s feet. “She’s seeing a lot of him.”

 

Matt cocked his head to the side. “Is this a bad thing?”

 

“No, no, it’s not. She just hasn’t dated like this since… Well, ever.”

 

“Do you like him?”

 

“I haven’t met him. But he seems nice, from what she’s said. And May’s been sort of happier lately. So that’s good.” Peter started weaving the web to make the sling of the hammock. “He’s a lawyer, does a lot of pro bono work, and social justice stuff is right up her alley. She's always doing things to help people out.”

 

“Sounds ideal.” Peter glanced up to see Matt doing a little, twitchy smile thing.

 

“What about you, Double D?”

 

“What about me?”

 

“Are you, like, dating?”

 

“No comment.”

 

“Aw, c’mon!”

 

“Still no comment. What are you doing, jumping around like that?”

 

“I’m making a hammock, can’t you tell?”

 

“You’re not planning on sleeping here, are you?”

 

“Nope, just getting comfy.” Peter hopped into his creation and stretched out, rocking slightly in the light breeze. “I like it up here.”

 

“Me too. It’s peaceful.”

 

“You know, I can hear really well, too.”

 

“I don’t doubt it, Pete. My hearing is just… A long way above the usual. Makes it hard to find a quiet place. Up here I can still hear it all but it's not as… Overwhelming.”

 

Matt was leaning back, resting his weight on his elbows. “What are you listening to?” Peter asked, curious.

 

“The song of the city.”

 

“Really? There's a song?”

 

“Talk a little less and you might hear it yourself.”

 

Peter closed his eyes and listened for the song, his hammock swaying gently in the night air.

 

\---

 

“Peter, honey?” May rapped quietly on the door.

 

Peter groaned and rolled over. He'd been out way too late last night. “Yes, Aunt May?”

 

“Can I come in?”

 

“Yeah, of course.” Peter sat up, pulling the coverlet with him, and rubbed a hand across his eyes.

 

“It’s time to get up. What time will you be home from Mr. Stark’s tonight? Will you be here for dinner?”

 

“Yeah, sure. What’s up?”

 

May smiled nervously. “You know Matt, who I’ve been dating? He’s coming for dinner and I’d really like you to meet him. Would that be okay?”

 

“Oh. Wow. Uh, yes, of course I’d like to meet him. I don’t think Mr. Stark needs me at all today. I’ve got decathlon practice so I’ll be home after that.”

 

May looked delighted as she nodded at him. “Great. By the way, he’s blind.”

 

“Oh, is he?” Peter didn’t know any blind people.”Do I… need to do anything special?”

 

“No, just be yourself. He’ll love you. I’ve got to leave for work now. Have a good day at school, sweetie. I’ll see you this evening.”

 

\---

 

Peter opened the apartment door to see Aunt May and a dark-haired man sitting on the couch together, each with a wine glass in hand. May sprang to her feet immediately, placing her glass on the coffee table and smoothing down her dress.

 

The man reached out, touching the fingers of his empty hand to the table top before placing his glass on it, then rising to his feet and turning towards the door. He was wearing a crisp white shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and a loose tie. Peter could see a suit jacket thrown over the back of the couch. The man was wearing round, dark glasses.

 

“Peter,” May said, walking around the coffee table to Peter and gathering him into a side hug,  “This is Mr. Murdock. Matt, this is my nephew Peter.”

 

Mr. Murdock smiled and held out his hand but didn't attempt to close the space between them. “It's very nice to meet you, Peter. May’s told me a lot about you.”

 

Peter knew that voice. He knew it very well. And he knew that chin, that smile. Daredevil’s smile. He felt his heart rate pick up. He glanced at May, who was smiling encouragingly at him. It would mean a lot for Peter to make a good impression, and Matt’s secret identity wasn’t Peter’s to share. He pushed down his shock and stepped forward to shake the offered hand, hoping his own hand wasn’t shaking too much. “Pleased to meet you, Mr. Murdock,” he said, his voice cracking at the end. He let go and stepped back, shooting another look at May, who looked slightly relieved.

 

“Please,” Matt/ _Daredevil_ /Mr. Murdock said, “Call me Matt.”

 

“Okay. Thanks. I'll just, uh, put my bag away.”

 

Peter walked quickly to his room, closed the door and threw his backpack on the bottom bunk. Then he stood in the middle of the room with his hands on his hips, thinking. Aunt May’s new boyfriend was Daredevil. The same Daredevil who he’d been chatting with on top of the Brooklyn Bridge, who hadn’t said anything to Peter. He felt odd, but there was no tingling spidey sense to warn him of danger. He took a deep, calming breath then quickly changed his tee shirt for a clean one and went back to the lounge.

 

They were in the kitchen, and Peter stopped to watch them for a moment. Matt was leaning against the counter and saying something to May, who was laughing. She sounded happy, and was smiling radiantly. She reached across and cuffed Matt’s shoulder, making him laugh as well. Then she looked up and saw Peter, treating him to a glowing smile. “Peter, will you set the table, please? Dinner is nearly ready.”

 

“Sure thing, May.” Peter walked to the cupboard to take down the plates and glanced over at Matt. He was still leaning against the wall, his head tilted in the way Peter had noticed before during their bridge chats, his face angled slightly towards the floor. With the glasses, it really did look as though he were blind. Peter looked back towards the coffee table. There was a folded white cane resting on it. What was Matt’s game?

 

“How was school, honey?”

 

“We made esters in Chem today. They’re chemicals that have strong smells, and Mr. Taylor didn’t tell us what they were going to smell like before we made each one. Tina had to leave the room,” Peter said as he opened the cutlery drawer.

 

Matt’s mouth twitched slightly. “Tina sounds like me. I really didn’t enjoy the smells in Chem lab.”

 

May pulled on oven gloves and opened the oven door. “You two sit. I'll bring the food over.”

 

May was clearly under the illusion that Matt was blind. She told him where the condiments were on the table and where his food was on his plate. Peter couldn’t work out a reason for the farce. Matt was charming and entertaining, telling funny stories about people he had come across in Hell’s Kitchen, where he lived. He became vehement when he talked about gentrification and rent hikes and poor treatment of people who didn't have the resources to fight for themselves. He asked Peter questions about what he was learning at school, and seemed genuinely interested in his answers. Matt gave Peter his number with an offer of help with Spanish, if Peter wanted it. Peter enjoyed himself, but couldn’t set aside the question about why Matt was pretending. Even though he had to admit that it was completely believable.

 

After dinner, Peter cleared the plates then excused himself to go and study for his Calculus test. As Peter walked past May he squeezed her shoulder and gave her an encouraging grin. She touched his hand and smiled that brilliant, happy smile back at him.

 

Peter found it easy to revise his work that evening, soothed by the murmur of voices on the other side of his bedroom door.

 

\---

 

Matt was in his usual spot, perched on the edge of the tower and gazing at something far off.

 

“Oh. Uh, hi Double D. So nice to _see_ you on this dark and lonely night.” Peter was keeping his distance, on the other side of the tower.

 

“Don't get pissy at me.” Matt didn't raise his voice, but he wasn't joking, either.

 

“Sorry.” Peter sighed. “I don’t mean to be. I’m just. I’m not happy about you deceiving my aunt.”

 

Matt turned to look at him. “I don’t share my secret identity with anyone. Do you, _Spidey?”_

 

“I’m not talking about that. I’m talking about that whole blind man act. Do you live your whole life pretending to be blind?”

 

“What makes you think I’m pretending?” Matt had turned his body to face Peter, his shoulders tense.

 

“How can you not be? You expect me to believe that a blind man can parkour across a city? Punch bad guys?” Peter was waving his hands, gestures emphasising each question.

 

“What about a boy clinging to buildings with his fingers and toes? Or swinging like a spider between buildings?”

 

“Okay, okay. Neither of us is very normal. But you can't do stuff like that if you can't see.”

 

“Peter. Are you familiar with the word ‘ableism’?”

 

“...Fair point. I'm just confused. So you actually can’t see very well?”

 

Matt dropped his head and slowly breathed in and out a couple of times, then lifted his head again. “No. I’m actually totally blind and have been since I was nine years old. Like I’ve already told you, I’ve got very, very good hearing. My other senses are heightened which means that I perceive the world in ways that you can’t. But it’s not a big deal.”

 

“What do you mean it’s not a big deal?”

 

“What I said. It’s not a big deal.” Matt waved his hand around as he spoke. “So I’m blind. I’m also a lawyer. And I have friends and a life and a serious coffee habit. And I’m Daredevil. I’m all those things. And the life I’ve got, I’ve had to work hard for. Got it?”

 

Peter realised that he had way overstepped. He looked down at his hands, fingers laced together. “Got it. Sorry.”

 

“Okay. So. Can we start again?”

 

“Yes, sir.” Peter stepped closer and dropped down to sit next to Matt.

 

Matt rolled his shoulders and shook out his arms then paused before tilting his head and smiling at Peter. “How was your day?”

 

“Good, it was good,” Peter said, nodding, seizing on the chance to normalise their conversation.

 

“How was your Calculus test?”

 

“I smashed it,” Peter replied, letting the pride he’d felt creep into his voice.

 

“Nice.” Matt held out his fist and Peter bumped it. “Sounds like a good day.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“You seemed a little subdued yesterday.”

 

“It was a bit of a shock when I saw you. I didn’t expect Aunt May’s boyfriend to be, you know, Daredevil.”

 

“Yes, I imagine so.”

 

“So you realised?”

 

“Not when I first met May, but I did work it out after a while, yes.”

 

“You didn’t think to mention it?”

 

“I couldn’t think how to bring it up. And I also didn't expect her to want to introduce us so soon.”

 

“It's just… it's weird.”

 

“What's weird?” Matt's voice was low and calm.

 

“Aunt May. Dating you. Dating is something teenagers do. And you're a lot younger than her.”

 

Matt was quiet. Peter wasn't sure if he'd offended him, but he plowed on, trying to talk out what was bothering him.

 

“I mean, what if you, like, get married? Will you like, be my uncle?”

 

Matt laughed, startling Peter. “Look, Pete. I'm not saying I'm ruling anything out, but May and I are not talking about marriage. Right now we're getting to know each other and enjoying each other's company, and that's it. I don't want to hurt her.” Matt tipped his face upwards, as though he were looking for stars in the dull New York sky. “I've lost people I loved. Do you know what that's like?”

 

Peter nodded, thinking of Uncle Ben and the parents he'd barely known. “Yes.”

 

“You can lose someone at any time. Sometimes it's your fault, but usually it's not. There's a saying from the Māori people of New Zealand. I'm not going to attempt to mangle their language, but it goes something like ‘What's the most important thing in the world? It's people, it's people, it's people.’

 

“Life can be a lonely place. Sometimes it's just good to have someone to talk to, someone who enjoys spending time with you. Do you understand what I'm saying?” Matt turned his face towards Peter, light glinting off the eyes of his mask.

 

Peter sighed and nodded. “Yeah, I do, Double D. Aunt May has her own life, and I want her to be happy. She deserves that.” Matt nodded and turned his face skywards again, listening, Peter supposed. “There's no stars, you know.”

 

“What?’

 

“It's too cloudy. Too much light pollution. I can't see any stars.”

 

Matt pushed himself to his feet and turned towards Manhattan. Then he paused and turned as though looking back over his shoulder. “I would never pretend I'm going to fill your uncle's shoes. I'm a different person. But I'm here, Pete, any time you need me. And now you know how to find me during the day. I can help with Spanish, or just to talk. Don't be a stranger.” Matt dropped off the tower, vanishing into the darkness.

 

“Thanks, Matt,” Peter breathed into the night, and listened to the city's song.

**Author's Note:**

> The whakatauki (proverb) Matt refers to is: He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata.
> 
> Title comes from the song by Florence + The Machine, just because I've listened to it a lot in the past week. 
> 
> Big thanks to my beta, SleepyMoritz
> 
> Comments always happily received.
> 
> I started a [tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/runpogorun) so come and follow me!


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